Background
She was born in Galway in 1887 and was educated at the Dominican College, Galway City, Republic of Ireland.
She was born in Galway in 1887 and was educated at the Dominican College, Galway City, Republic of Ireland.
Mary Josephine was editor of the Journal of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society from November 1932 to January 1951. Her main contribution to the history of Galway in the late medieval - early modern age was Old Galway, which examined the growth of the town, its culture and politics, its trade and its ruling families, The Tribes of Galway. Most of the first edition of the book was destroyed during The Blitz in London, and was only reprinted in 1959 in Galway.
She was a sister of John Thomas Donovan, late of the Indian Civil Service.
From early in the 1900s she was an active member of the local women's Suffrage movement.